Hinged seat bottom construction

ABSTRACT

The seat bottom for each of a row of chairs is hingedly connected between spaced standards supporting the seat backs and arms. Brackets having pivot arms are located on opposite sides of the seat bottom for the reception within sockets on each standard extending toward each seat bottom. No fasteners or assembling tools are therefore required for the seat bottoms.

United States Patent 1191 Mackintosh June 17, 1975 [541 HINGED SEAT BOTTOM CONSTRUCTION 2,365,378 12/1944 Benson 16/178 x B [76] Inventor: Charles Mackintosh, 3838 Oakwood 2: 2 16/17] x Ave. Los g Calif. 90004 [22] Filed: May 29, 1974 Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-William E. Lyddane [211 App! 474332 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle &

Watson [52] US. Cl. 297/248; 16/171; 297/335;

403/119; 403/353 [57 ABSTRACT 51 It.Cl. ..A47112 E 1 g of Search 297/232 248 The seat bottom for each of a row of chalrs 1s hlngedly 297/332 248/24O connected between spaced standards supporting the seat backs and arms. Brackets having pivot arms are 52/758 403/119 16/171 178 located on opposite sides of the seat bottom for the [56] References Cited reception within sockets on each standard extending TATES PATENTS toward each seat bottom. No fasteners 0r assembling UNITED S tools are therefore required for the seat bottoms. 62,428 2/1867 Koechling 297/249 I 424,713 4/1890 Johnson 297/248 x 3 Clalms, 5 Drawlng Flgures This invention relates generally to a hinged seat bottom construction for stadium-type chairs and the like, and more particularly to an arrangement of easily assembled seat bottoms.

In the stadium-type seats wherein spaced vertical standards are mounted in rows for the support of seat backs and seat bottoms therebetween, any number of constructions are currently available although each requires at least the seat bottom to be installed on the standards especially if such seat bottoms are to be hingedly connected in place. Fasteners of some type are normally used for installing the seat bottom since both parts of the hinge connection are customarily fastened together by a bolt passing therethrough. Tools are therefore required so that, during installation of a large number of seat bottoms, it can be seen that much time is expended which, if reduced, would significantly reduce the cost of installation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a seat construction wherein the seat bottoms may be easily and quickly installed for hinged interconnections with spaced upright standards without the need for fasteners or tools normally used in the assembling process.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a seat construction wherein separable hinge assemblies are provided on the seats and the adjoining upright standards to facilitate easy installation of the seat bottoms for pivotal movement on the standards.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a seat construction wherein socket members on each upright standard include flat bar members having an upwardly open recess therein for the reception of the free end of a pivot arm located at opposite sides of the seat bottom within a bracket hub, cooperating stops being provided on both the seat bottoms and the socket members for retaining the seat bottom in a horizontal seating position as well as in a raised position, with the free ends of the pivot arms pivoting within the recesses between such positions. 1

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of part of a row of stadium-type seats mounted in place;

FIG. 2 is an expanded side elevational view of an up- -right standard and a seat bottom at a slightly enlarged view showing the manner of installing the seat bottom in place;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the hinged connection between the seat bottom and the upright standard with the seat in its lowered seating position;

FIG. 4 is a detail view similar to FIG. 3 except that the seat is shown in its raised position; and

FIG. 5 is an expanded detail view of the seat bracket and the socket of the upright standard forming the hinge elements therebetween.

Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the stadiumor grandstand-type seats are shown in FIG. 1 as they are typically mounted in place and fully assembled. Spaced upright standards 11 are mounted at their base portions as at 12 to risers such as 13 of the stadium or auditorium. Alternatively, the base portions of the standards may be extended vertically downwardly toward horizontal surfaces 14 for mounting thereto.

Standards or uprights 11 are typically of I-beam cross-section having a flange 15 extending outwardly of both sides of its web 16. An arm 17 (covered in some manner) is formed on the standard, and a seat back 18 is clipped in place between adjacent standards in some normal manner.

Seat bottoms 19 extend between adjacent standards 11 and are hingedly mounted thereon for movement between a substantially horizontal seating position of FIG. 3 and a raised position of non-use of FIG. 4. Brackets 21 are provided at each side of each seat bottom for pivotally connecting the seat bottom to sockets 22 extending outwardly of opposite sides of web 16 of each standard.

The seat bottom is shown in FIG. 2 in the process of 'being coupled to a socket 22. Of course, brackets 21 on both sides of the seat bottom are coupled to sockets extending inwardly of adjacent upright standards, although a bracket 21 on one side of the seat bottom and a socket 22 to be coupled with a bracket on the opposite side of the seat bottom are shown in FIG. 2 forthe purpose of clarity and illustration.

As shown therein, as well as in FIG. 5, bracket 21 includes a pivot arm 23 secured at one end to the inner surface of a cylindrical hub 24 and extending radially inwardly thereof. Its bulbous end 25 terminates at substantially the central axis of the cylindrical hub, and is disposed directly behind an opening 26 provided in the hub. Flat surfaces27a, 27b are perpendicularly related and lie at the connected end of the pivot arm. Similar flat surfaces 28a, 28b are perpendicularly related. and lie directly opposite flat surfaces 27 within the hub. As can be seen, surfaces 27a and 2812 are parallel, and surfaces 27b and 28a are likewise parallel.

Each socket 22 includes a circular hub 29 of a size substantially equal to hub 24 of the bracket, and extending outwardly of both sides of web 16 of each upright standard. As shown in FIG. 5, these hubs 29 ex tend slightly outwardly of the edge of flange l5, and a bearing member such as a bar member 31 likewise extends outwardly of both sides of web 16 of each standard. However, each bar member extends outwardly of the side edges of flange 15 a greater distance than hubs 29. As seen more clearly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, each bar member has an upwardly open central recess 32 therein. The width of the bar member is-such that the distance between its end surfaces 33 is substantially the same as the inner surface diameter of hub24. Also, flat surfaces 34a, 34b are formed adjacent one end surface 33, and flat surfaces 35a, 35b are formed adjacent the opposite end surface 33 of the bar member. Surfaces 34a, 34b and 35a. 35b are respectively spaced apart a distance slightly less than the vertical dimension of opening 26 formed in hub 24 of the bracket.

Installing each seat bottom 19 is a simple procedure. The seat bottom is moved toward and between a pair of adjacent upright standards in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2, until ends 25 of the pivot arms thereon rest within recesses 32 of the bar members. Openings 26 of brackets 21 permit movement of these brackets beyond those portions of the bar members defined by end surface 33 and parallel surfaces 35a, 35b. Interference between these end portions and pivot arms 23 may be avoided by simply slightly raising the seat bottom so that it may continue to move toward the standards until the bulbous ends 25 of the pivot arms come to rest within recesses 32. As shown in FIG. 3, flat surfaces 27b and 28a of the bracket rest on respective flat surfaces 35a and 34b of bar member 31 so that these contacting flat surfaces serve as cooperating stops for the seat bottom in its lowered position of use. When raising the seat bottom into its position of nonuse as in FIG. 4, flat surfaces 27a and 28b of the brackets come into contact with respective flat surfaces 34a I and 35b of bar members 31. These contacting flat surfaces likewise serve as cooperating stops for retaining the seat bottom in a predetermined vertical position of FIG. 4.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the seat constructed in accordance with the invention is quite safe, easily installed, squeakless and highly economical since only a minimum number of parts are required. In fact, the only elements necessary in the present design are brackets 21 at opposite sides of the seat bottom cooperating with socket members 22 disposed inwardly of adjacent upright standards 11. Since no fasteners are needed for installing the seat bottoms into hinged interconnections with the standards, no tools are needed in carrying out the installation. However, a cover plate may, if desired, be secured over openings 26 of bracket hubs 24 after installation of the seat bottoms, although this is not necessary.

Although most hinges are generally made strong enough, many of them are unsafe in that the occupants clothing and fingers, for example, may be caught and torn as the seat bottom is raised and lowered. The present invention substantially avoids any such possibility because of the safety feature thereby introduced in that hubs 24 and 29 are of similar diameter with no projections extending therefrom. Moreover, the width of'hubs 24 are such that the occupants hand will not be caught or squeezed between either side of the seat bottom and the adjoining standard. When the seat bottom is in its in-use position of FIG. 3, installation slots or openings 26 are occupied by bar members 31 located completely within hubs 29. Also, when the seat bottom is at its atrest position of FIG. 4, these installation slots open toward the bottom of the seat so that, in both positions, snow or debris will not enter.

The present seat bracket with its half of the hinge cast into its cylindrical hub and secured to the seat bottom permits the entire seat bottom and bracket combination to be installed or removed without the use of a wrench, screwdriver or any other tool.

Most seat hinges use an oil-impregnated round sleeve bearing of about one-half inch in diameter. The present construction, on the other hand. makes use of small rocker of pivot arms having bulbous free ends. These pivot arms are cast with the seat bracket hub and its free end is of a small diameter. A drop of grease or other lubricant may be used in the sockets to provide a long-lasting lubrication should any squeaking become evident. However, no such lubrication is required as end surfaces 33 of the bar member act as a rocker within the inner surface of hub 24. A substantially frictionless, squeakless and easily operable hinge joint is therefore effected. I

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are made possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A seat construction, comprising at least one pair of spaced uprights having armrests thereon and a seat back mounted thereto, a seat bottom extending between said uprights and being hingedly interconnected therewith, brackets on opposite sides of said seats, each said bracket having an opening and a pivot arm connected at one end within each said bracket, the free end of each said arm extending toward said bracket openings, a socket member on each said upright hingedly coupled with said brackets for supporting said seat bottom on said uprights, each said. socket member including a bearing member having an upwardly open recess therein, cooperating stops on both said brackets and said socket members, said bracket openings permitting said seat bottom to be assembled in place between said uprights with said free ends of said pivot arms received within said recesses, and a first of said stops retaining said seat bottom in a substantial horizontal seating position while a second of said stops retains said seat bottom in a vertically raised position, said free ends of said pivot arms pivoting within said recesses between said positions.

2. The seat construction according to claim 1, wherein each said bearing member comprises a flat bar member with said recess located between opposite ends thereof, said socket member stops being defined by upper and lower surfaces of each said flat bar member.

3. The seat construction according to claim 2, wherein said bracket stops are located at the connected end of each said pivot arm at opposite sides thereof and adjacent said free end of each said pivot arm. 

1. A seat construction, comprising at least one pair of spaced uprights having armrests thereon and a seat back mounted thereto, a seat bottom extending between said uprights and being hingedly interconnected therewith, brackets on opposite sides of said seats, each said bracket having an opening and a pivot arm connected at one end within each said bracket, the free end of each said arm extending toward said bracket openings, a Socket member on each said upright hingedly coupled with said brackets for supporting said seat bottom on said uprights, each said socket member including a bearing member having an upwardly open recess therein, cooperating stops on both said brackets and said socket members, said bracket openings permitting said seat bottom to be assembled in place between said uprights with said free ends of said pivot arms received within said recesses, and a first of said stops retaining said seat bottom in a substantial horizontal seating position while a second of said stops retains said seat bottom in a vertically raised position, said free ends of said pivot arms pivoting within said recesses between said positions.
 2. The seat construction according to claim 1, wherein each said bearing member comprises a flat bar member with said recess located between opposite ends thereof, said socket member stops being defined by upper and lower surfaces of each said flat bar member.
 3. The seat construction according to claim 2, wherein said bracket stops are located at the connected end of each said pivot arm at opposite sides thereof and adjacent said free end of each said pivot arm. 